CT AORTIC ANGIOGRAM

A CT Aortic Angiogram, often called a CT aortogram, is a specialized, non-invasive diagnostic imaging test that provides exceptionally clear and detailed pictures of your aorta. The aorta is the largest artery in your body, originating from the heart and extending down through the chest and abdomen, supplying oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body. This advanced scan utilizes a powerful combination of computed tomography (CT) technology and a special iodine-based contrast dye to generate highly detailed 2D and 3D images. At Cadabam's Diagnostics, we use this crucial procedure to help your doctor accurately diagnose, evaluate, and manage conditions affecting this vital blood vessel.

What is a CT Aortic Angiogram?

Understanding the technology behind the CT Aortic Angiogram can help you feel more comfortable with the procedure. It involves three key components working together:

• Computed Tomography (CT): A CT scanner is a large, doughnut-shaped machine that takes a rapid series of X-ray images from many different angles around your body. This process is quick and completely painless.
• Contrast Material: To make the aorta and its branches clearly visible, a special contrast material (or dye) is injected into a vein in your arm. This iodine-based liquid travels through your bloodstream, highlighting the blood vessels in bright white on the scan images. This allows our radiologists to see the structure and flow within your aorta with incredible clarity.
• Computer Processing: A sophisticated computer takes all the individual X-ray images and digitally processes them. It assembles them into detailed cross-sectional "slices" and can also create complex three-dimensional reconstructions, giving your doctor a comprehensive view of your aorta from every possible angle.

Types of CT Aortic Angiogram

The aorta is a long artery, and the scan can be tailored to focus on the specific section your doctor needs to evaluate. The primary types include:

• CTA Thoracic Aorta: This scan focuses specifically on the portion of the aorta that runs through the chest (the thorax), from its origin at the heart down to the diaphragm.
• CTA Abdominal Aorta: This scan examines the part of the aorta that continues below the diaphragm, running through the abdomen and branching off to supply blood to the abdominal organs and legs.
• CTA Thoracoabdominal Aorta: In some cases, your doctor may need to visualize the entire length of the vessel. This comprehensive scan covers the aorta through both the chest and the abdomen.

During the analysis of your scan, our radiologists meticulously evaluate several key parameters to assess the health of your aorta. These include:

• Aortic diameter and wall thickness to check for abnormal widening or thinning.
• The presence, precise location, size, and type of any aortic aneurysm.
• The presence of an intimal flap or false lumen, which are the classic signs of an aortic dissection.
• The extent of plaque buildup (atherosclerosis) within the aortic wall.
• The condition and patency of the major branch vessels that originate from the aorta, such as those supplying the brain, arms, kidneys, and other organs.

This test provides critical information that helps your physician make an accurate diagnosis and create an effective treatment plan. The primary reasons for performing a CT Aortic Angiogram are:

• To definitively diagnose or rule out life-threatening conditions like an aortic aneurysm or dissection.
• To evaluate congenital (present at birth) abnormalities of the aorta or major arteries.
• To assess for signs of vessel inflammation, a condition known as aortitis.
• To accurately detect and characterize traumatic injury to the aorta after an accident.
• To precisely plan for complex treatments like endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), which involves placing a stent-graft, or traditional open surgery.

Benefits of Taking the Test

Choosing to have a CT Aortic Angiogram provides several significant advantages in diagnosing aortic conditions:

• High Detail: It generates highly detailed, cross-sectional, and 3D images that are crucial for an accurate diagnosis.
• Speed and Availability: The scan itself is very fast, making it an essential tool in emergency situations where time is critical. It is a widely available test at facilities like Cadabam's Diagnostics.
• Minimally Invasive: Compared to traditional catheter angiography, which requires inserting a catheter into an artery, a CTA is much less invasive, only requiring a simple IV line.
• Precise Planning: The scan provides exact measurements of the aorta's size and shape, which is indispensable for planning surgical or endovascular repairs.

Illnesses Diagnosed with CT Aortic Angiogram

A CT Aortic Angiogram is the gold standard for diagnosing a range of serious conditions affecting the aorta. It is the definitive CT scan for aortic aneurysm or dissection and is also used to identify:

• Aortic Aneurysm (both Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm)
• Aortic Dissection
• Atherosclerosis (severe hardening and narrowing of the arteries)
• Aortitis (inflammation of the aorta, often due to autoimmune disease or infection)
• Penetrating Aortic Ulcer (an ulceration in an atherosclerotic plaque that burrows into the aortic wall)
• Traumatic Aortic Injury (a tear or rupture caused by trauma)

Proper preparation is simple but important for ensuring a successful and safe scan. The team at Cadabam's Diagnostics will provide you with specific instructions, which typically include:

• Diet: You will likely be asked to fast (not eat any solid food) for approximately 4 to 6 hours before your scheduled appointment. You will often be encouraged to drink clear liquids like water to stay well-hydrated.
• Medication: Please inform our staff about all medications you are currently taking. It is especially important to mention if you take metformin (Glucophage) for diabetes, as you may be asked to temporarily stop it before and after the scan.
• Clothing: On the day of your scan, wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. You should avoid wearing clothes with metal components like zippers, snaps, or buckles in the chest and abdominal area. You may be asked to change into a hospital gown.

Pre-requisites

To ensure the test is appropriate and safe for you, two main prerequisites are necessary:

1. Doctor's Referral: A CT Aortic Angiogram must be ordered by your physician. You will need to bring the referral or prescription with you. [Link to: Main Service Page]
2. Kidney Function Test: Because the scan uses an iodine-based contrast dye, a recent blood test to check your kidney function (specifically, serum creatinine and eGFR levels) is usually required to ensure your kidneys can safely process the dye.

Best Time to Take the CT Aortic Angiogram

There is no specific "best" time of day to take the test. A CT Aortic Angiogram can be performed at any time. It is available as a routinely scheduled outpatient procedure for monitoring and elective evaluation. Critically, it is also available 24/7 at Cadabam's Diagnostics for emergency situations where a rapid diagnosis is vital.

Eligibility

Most individuals are eligible to undergo a CT Aortic Angiogram. However, your safety is our top priority. Key contraindications that might prevent you from having the test include:

• A known severe, anaphylactic allergy to iodine or CT contrast dye.
• Significant, unmanaged kidney failure (renal insufficiency).
• Pregnancy is a relative contraindication and will be carefully considered by your doctor and our radiology team.

Procedure for Taking a CT Aortic Angiogram (CTA Aorta Procedure)

Understanding the step-by-step CTA aorta procedure can help alleviate any anxiety. Here is what you can expect at Cadabam's Diagnostics:

1. Check-in and Preparation: You will register at our front desk and confirm your details. A technologist will greet you, explain the procedure, and may ask you to change into a medical gown.
2. IV Line Placement: The technologist will place a small, thin intravenous (IV) catheter into a vein in your arm or hand. This is where the contrast dye will be injected during the scan.
3. Positioning: You will be asked to lie down on your back on the padded CT scanning table. The technologist will ensure you are comfortable, and the table will then slide slowly into the center of the large, circular scanner.
4. The Scan: The scan happens in two phases. First, an initial scan without contrast (a scout image) is taken. Then, the technologist, communicating with you from a control room, will start the injection of the contrast dye through the IV line.
5. Sensations and Breath-Holding: As the dye is injected, it's very common to feel a warm sensation spreading through your body and sometimes a metallic taste in your mouth. These feelings are completely normal and pass within a minute or two. You will be asked to hold your breath for short periods (usually 10-15 seconds) while the machine is actively scanning. It is very important to hold perfectly still.
6. Duration: The entire appointment, from check-in to completion, typically takes about 15-30 minutes. The actual time you are in the scanner and the scan itself is very short, often less than a minute.

Caution Before Taking the Test

For your safety, it is absolutely crucial that you inform the technologist and our clinical staff before your scan if you meet any of the following conditions:

• You are or think you might be pregnant.
• You have any known allergies, especially a previous reaction to iodine, shellfish, or X-ray contrast dye.
• You have any kidney problems, including kidney disease, a single kidney, or have had kidney surgery.
• You have diabetes, especially if you are taking the medication metformin.